“I’m sure I will. Thank you for everything, Gray. I appreciate you picking me up and accommodating me.”
“Don’t mention it. And, Ozzie?”
“Yes?”
“The ranch hands are all aware of my sexuality and that of my sons. They’re open-minded and nondiscriminatory. But we have ranch hands who join us on contract, and I don't know how they’ll react. If anyone crosses the line with you, let me know, and I’ll set them straight.”
“That’s good to know.”
“Same for the people of Bristlecone Springs. I won’t tolerate anyone being disrespectful toward you for as long as you’re my guest.”
5
OZZIE
My stomach growled, reminding me I’d missed dinner. I’d been tired from the journey to Bristlecone Springs, but I’d also had an attack of nerves at the thought of being around Gray so soon. Starving myself might have been penance as well for noticing my fiancé’s father was well endowed. Not that I should have expected any differently from a man of his size. But still…
Yowzah! He was seriously packing. I would have had to be blind not to have seen that erection.
I’d tried to push what had happened from my mind, but all I heard echoing in my head was Gray confirming his hard-on had nothing to do with me. The relief I should have felt was overshadowed by how emphatically he had made it clear he would have reacted the same if anyone else had brushed against his overly sensitive nipples.
That was a good thing, right? Then why had his words stung?
Another growl from my tummy had me pulling back the cool covers. Rationally, I knew I could last until morning, but it didn’t feel that way. Tiptoeing through a stranger’s house and raidingtheir fridge was inappropriate, but I couldn’t work up the energy to care when I was hungry.
At the bedroom door, I stopped short. What the hell was I doing? I walked back and snagged my purple silk robe with the lace trimmings from the bedpost where I’d draped it earlier. With Carter away, I hadn’t been able to resist sleeping in the matching silk camisole pajama shorts set I’d snuck into my suitcase. I knotted the robe at my waist and stepped out into the darkened hallway.
The soft light filtering from downstairs guided my steps. The floor was cold, but I didn’t dare return to my room to put slippers on. All I needed was a few minutes to find the rest of the food I hadn’t eaten and heat it in the microwave. No one had to know I was out of my bedroom at two in the morning.
I hurried across the hall to the kitchen, which Gray had gestured at when he had brought me to the bedroom. As expected, the place was empty. I searched the wall for the switch and flicked it on, wincing at the sudden brightness flooding the room.
The large open kitchen was all shades of cream and gold, and an expensive-looking island stood in the center. Shiny appliances were neatly arranged in recessed alcoves, but the huge black microwave was all I needed.
I moved silently, feeling like an intruder in this house that wasn’t mine. Guilt coursed through me as I opened the steel fridge and rummaged through until I found the leftover food.
“What are you doing?”
I yelped and jerked at the unfamiliar voice. With the plastic-covered dishes from the restaurant clutched in my hand, I stepped back. A stern-faced young man with dark hair and a slight resemblance to Carter stood a few feet from me.
“Hi!” I shoved the fridge closed with a bang and winced. “Oops, sorry. I didn’t mean to close it that hard.”
He swept his gaze from the food in my hand to my face and raised an eyebrow. Oh, I could just figure out what was going through his mind. No wonder I carried all these extra pounds if I raided the refrigerator at this hour of the night.
“I was tired and skipped dinner,” I blurted. Dammit, I shouldn’t have. He had to be Carter’s younger brother; I didn’t owe him any explanation. Well, maybe some explanation, since this was his house, and I was rummaging through his fridge.
“You must be Ozzie,” he said.
“Yes, and you’re Matty, Carter’s brother.”
“That’s right.” He opened the fridge and grabbed a beer. He pulled the tab open and chugged down the contents. “So where’s my brother? Shouldn’t he be down here finding you something to eat instead of letting you wander around on your own?”
He didn’t know? Ah, Gray had said something about him being away from the ranch and arriving soon.
“Carter’s still stuck in the Caribbean.” Stuck was a bit of a stretch, since he’d opted to stay there.
“And you still came?”
My stomach fell. His eyes were so cold, and he hadn’t cracked a smile since entering the kitchen. Gray had mentioned Matty was more like him, but Gray had been warm and inviting. Matty’s attitude was of someone wanting to shove me out the front door.
